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The Green Community Energy Cooperative Initiative in Bielsko-Biała

Proposal code: CONSUL-2026-06-39

“The Green Community Energy Cooperative”  as a way to improve cooperation between municipal institutions in the field of renewable energy and local electricity management.

The initial concept of “The Green Community Energy Cooperative” was developed during the PowerYouth Capacity Building Programme as a way to improve cooperation between municipal institutions in the field of renewable energy and local electricity management. The initiative is envisioned in the form of an energy cooperative operating within the municipality and coordinated by the local government.

A distinctive feature of the project is the broad involvement of municipal entities and public institutions. The participants might include schools, kindergartens, libraries, cultural centers, sports facilities, and the municipal water and wastewater company. Their cooperation might create a more efficient system of local energy production and consumption balancing.

The preliminary objectives of the energy community are to balance the production and consumption of electricity within the municipality and to support the development of distributed energy systems based on local renewable energy sources. The city already has experience in collaborative energy projects through the operation of an energy cluster, which may provide organisational support and practical knowledge for the future cooperative. This experience could facilitate cooperation between participating entities and support the implementation process.

The main challenges identified so far are legal and formal barriers related to establishing and operating the energy cooperative. To address these challenges, the need for consultations with other municipalities is worth highlighting, as well as specialised training, and expert advisory support, which are considered essential for the effective implementation and long-term development of the initiative.

• Polish pilot